Knitting machine



July 3 0, 1935. BEDELL 2,009,379

KNITTING'MACHINE Filed March 15 1934 5 Sheets-Shet 1 July 30, 1935. H. G. BE DELL KNITTING'MACHINE Filed March I3, 1934 ,5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 30, 1935. G. BEDELL KNITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 VII/472mm Filed March 13, 1954 July 30, 1935. H.-G. BEDELL 2,009,379

KNITTING MACHINE Fiied March 13. 19:54 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 y 0, 1935. H. G; BEDELL 2,009,379

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 13. 1934 5 Sheetg-Sheet 5 Patented July 30, 1 935 assignor to Rotary Knit-Weave Looms Limited, Wellington, New Zealand, a company of New Zealand Application March 13,1934, Serial No. 715,346

- In New Zealand April 3, 1933 r 13 Claims.

This invention relates to knitting machines, the object being to providea new type of machine in which needles or hooks are eliminated, and by means of which thread,-yarn, wire and the like may be used to form the knitted article, the term thread being herein used to express any of these materials;

According to my invention, means are em- 'ployed to carry or hold the thread in the form of a loop into or through a loop of another thread held in the correct receiving position, This first loop is released and a further loop passed through the second, which further loop in turn has a still further loop passed through it, and so on to form a continuity of engaged loops throughout the length of the threads.

The invention will be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein:-- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation.

Figure 2 is a part'plan showing thearrangement of the spools.

Figure 3 is a plan on line w-a Figure 1. Figure 4 is a part plan of the machine showing the relation of operating cams to the fingers. Figures 5A to 5J inclusive respectively are views of a unit of fingers showing in sequence the formation of loops thereby.

Figure 6 is an elevation. Figure 7 is an end elevation, and

I Figure 8 is an inverted plan of a finger.

Figure 9 is a view of a portion of the knitted material, the stitch being enlarged. Figure 10'is a diagrammatic plan showing the sequence of formation of the loops in the fingers and comb members.

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic .view showing the sequence of the looping of the various threads.

Figures 12, 12a and 12b show elevations and a plan of a comb member. Figures 13 and 14 are detail views, and

Figure 15 is a fragmentary view showing a device to enable knitting to be easily started.

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary plan view showing the looping of one of the threads relative to another. Referring to the drawings, the machine consists of an annular frame I (see Figures 1 and 3), and supported upon a circular base 2. Within the frame I, a second annular frame 3 is arranged concentric therewith so as to leave an annular space or feeding opening 4 between the two frames. This inner frame 3 is supported in position by a hollow column 5 depending from a horizontal frame 6 in turn supported by four standards 7 (see Figures 1 and 3). The frame 6- has arms 6 supporting spool carrier rings 8.

the purpose of forming the knitted material. These fingers have slots I5 at their lower ends, 10 v in whichslots engage cams I6 and ll of cam rings I8 and I9, the outer ring I8 being seated on the frame I so as to rotate thereon. The rings I8; and I8 ride on ball bearings 20 and are prevented from lifting by rings I9a fixed to the frames I and 15 3. The cam ring I8 is caused to rotate around the rim III by means ofagear 22 engaging the teeth 2i on its periphery, such gear '22 being mounted on a spindle 23 in the frame I and having a spur wheel 24 on its lower end engaging a 20 spur wheel 25 on the lower end of a vertical shaft 26 driven by bevel gearing 21 from a horizontal driving shaft 28 journalled in the upper frame 6. The inner cam ring I9 is driven by a toothed gear 29 in mesh with the teeth 30 on the periphery of the ring, this gear 29 being fixed on the upper end of a vertical spindle 3I having a spur wheel 32 at its lower end meshing with another spur wheel 33 on the lower end of a vertical spindle 34 journalled in the vertical column 5 and driven by 30' bevel pinions 35 and 36 from the shaft 28. Below the feed slot'4 and diametric thereto are a pair of feed rollers 38 arranged one above the other which draw the looped threads from the fingers and deliver the finished fabric after it leaves the slot 4. These rollers are rotated in correct time by means ofia worm gear 39 meshing with a worm 40 on' a vertical spindle 4| having on its upper end a spur wheel 42 driven from a pinion 43 on a spindle 45 having a 40 pinion 46 meshing with the teeth .2I 'on the cam ring I8. The cam ring I8 carries a number of spool holders 48 (see Figures 1 and 3), on which are located spools 49, from each of which leads a thread 58 through guide eyes 5| of guide rods 45 'to' the cam ring I9 in the same way as the tubes 53 are to the ring I8, so that these spools 55 and feeding tubes 58 rotate with the inner ring I 8.

The spools on the ring l8 supply thread for engagement with the fingers l3 guided in the frame I, and the spools on the ring I9 supply the thread to the fingers H on the frame 3. Immediately above the slot 4 is arranged a comb consisting of a ring 60 supported by brackets 6| from the frame 6, this ring 66 having a number of depending members 62 between which operate the op-. posing concentric rows of fingers I3 and M, each of which is adapted to enter between the comb members 62, as will be hereinafter described, for the purpose of forming the knitting.

Each member 62 is open throughout its length, as shown in Figures 12, 12a-and 12b so that lockingthreads 65 drawn from spools 66 mounted on the rings 9 (see Figures 1 and 2) can pass therethrough. The threads 65, after leaving the spools 66 pass/through a guide eyelet 63 and another eyelet 63a on the end of a rod 64 and downwards through each member 62 and through the slot 6, and will be interlaced with the loops of the knitting. The lower end of the members 62 is provided with curved sides 61 against which the loops of the knitting are formed.

The feed tubes 53 and 58 open in line with the centre of the curved sides 61 (see Figure 5A) of the members 62, and as the cams rotate the fingers are at this period retracted, so that the tubes do not foul the fingers.

In Figures 6 and 8 is shown the construction of the fingers l3 and I4. These consist of jaws 68' anchored on a pin 69 in a channel end of a body ll whichhas the recess or slot [5 therein to receive the cams l6 and I1. Each jaw has rocking faces 12 stamped from the metal of the jaws, while their inner ends are shaped to bear on a ball 14 held against them by the tension of a spring in compression between the ball and the body H. When the jaws of an opposing finger enter'the space I6 between the jaws of another finger, the tails thereof will slide on the spherical surface of the ball 14, pushing it back against the spring and permitting the jaws to open, but when the jaw retracts and is drawn clear of the entering finger, such jaws 68 again close by the action of the spring and ball. The front ends of the jaws are concave as at 11 to engage the threads.

The actuation and incidence of the fingers in their proper sequence is brought about by the cams l6 and t1, the cams l6 and I1 sliding through the'notches l5 of the fingers l3 and 14, the formation of the cams being shown in Figure 4, so that as the cams travel in the direction of the arrow, the fingers will be moved between the members 62 in the required order,

namely that adjacent fingers move in sequence.

For example, take the set of fingers marked A in Figure 4; as the cams move in the direction of the arrow, these units of fingers will next assume the position of the unit of fingers immediately below it, and so on in order to form the loops and also to enable the threads to be fed in at the desired points.

The machine is threaded by the threads 50 and 66 from their spools l9 and 55 respectively, and are passed through the feed tubes 53 and 58, slot 4, to the rollers 38, while the locking threads 65 are led from their spools 66 through the hollow comb members 62, slot 4, to the feed 'rollers (see Figure 1).,

I In Figure 10 is illustrated the course of a thread from the feeding tubes, and in Figure 11 the ly the position of the fingers. It will be seen that as the feed tube 53 moves'forward in the direction of the arrow, the thread 50 is immediately engaged-by a finger l3 which commences to form the loop, but by this time the tube 53 has moved on and the thread is engaged by an adjacent finger l3, and so on until the'thread is held by fingers l3 throughout the distance between the feed tube 53 and feed tube 58 on the inner cam ring. At this stage the fingers are merely retaining loops in a formed position until the feed tube 58 feeds the other thread 56 to be engaged by the opposing fingers I4 and the knitting formed, as will now be explained with reference to Figures 5A to 5J inclusiye.

A finger l3 will engage a thread 50 in its notch 11 just .as the tube feeds the thread. The finger will now be in the position shown at Figure 5A, and carrying with it the thread 50, moves forward in the direction of the arrow and enters between the jaws 68 of the finger I 4 to the position shown in Figure 5B, and will have expanded the jaws of the finger M, as at B Figure 4. As this finger 13 moves into the jaws of the finger M, the thread 50 is carried with it and is formed into a loop by reason of it being held against the groove 61 of the member 62. The finger M then retracts and-its jaws close (see position C in Figure 4 and in Figure 5C), and

ready (to be engaged in the notch 11. of the finger I4, which then moves forward, engaging the thread 56, and enters between the jaws of the finger l3 (as at D in Figure 4 and in Figure 5D) the thread 56 being retained against the opposite notches 61 of the member 62. The finger [3 then retracts (as at E Figure 4 and in Figure 5E), leaving its thread 56 engaged around, the jaws of the finger l4 and over the thread 56 thereon.

The finger M then slightly retracts to the position shown in F in Figure 4 and in Figure 5F, and the finger l3 again commences to move forward and again engages another thread 50 (referenced 50a for convenience, the feed tube in this case not being shown), and enters again the jaws of the finger H, as at G in Figures 4 and 5G, where the second loop formed by the thread 50a is carried between thejaws of the finger I4, and when the finger l4 completely retracts, as at H" Figure 4 and in Figure 5H, it leaves the first loop formed by the finger H from the thread 56 on the jaws of the finger l3 and over the second loop of the second thread 60a, now in position on the finger l3.

By reference to Figure 5H, it will be seen that the first formed double loop formed of the threads 50 and 56 is then free, and, together with the continued loops, are drawn down by the action of the feed delivery rollers 38 of the machine and will now assume the position shown at J and leave another thread 56 (referenced 56a) clear to be engaged by the finger H to continue the looping process.

During the formation of the loops so described, the locking thread 65 from each member 62 of the comb is drawn from the spools 6.6, the action of the fingers operating alternately on each side of the locking thread causing this thread to be simply interlaced within the loops, as shown in Figure 9.

In Figure 11 is shown a diagram ofthe looping (without the locking thread) of the different threads as they leave the feeding-tubes 53 and loop in the thread 56, will commence to interloop with the formedloops of the thread 50, the third thread 50a. being similarly interlooped with the thread 56 in a corresponding position,- and thread 56a with thread 50a, and so on with all the remaining threads from the total number of feed tubes 53 and 58. As the looping of the threads 50 and 56 is completed, the loops are drawn clear of the members 62 and of the fingers I3 and M, as shown in Figure 5J, resulting in the slight angular direction of the rows of loops, as indicated in Figure 11.

In Figure 9, the loops formed by the difierent threads have the same reference numerals as the threads from which they are formed.

All threads are passed through the rollers 28 from the same side, so that the tubular knitted fabric of this machine passes in a fiat or folded position from the rollers.

It may befound necessary when starting the machine first to interlace through the fingers a thread to provide a. set of dummy or starting loops, this thread being held interlaced through the eyelets of a ring 8| suspended belowthe slot 4. This ring has standards 83 projecting upwards through the slot and in line with each feed tube 53 and 58, to which standards the threads 50 and 56 arev initially attached, so as to ensure that the portion of the thread between a standard 83 and thetube will lie in a parallel position in front of the notch 61 (see Figure 13) of the member 62 and ensure that it is engaged by a finger. By the time the next feed tube on the same side of the comb reaches the position of the standard, such standard will have dropped owing to the completed loop being carried on? the fingers.

In this case, the locking threads 65 would be carried down and attached to holes 84 around the ring. The weight of the ring, and it may be loaded, will give the required tension on the loops to retain such loops in position while the next loops are being interlooped therewith.

When suflicient preliminary material has been knitted, the ring would be removed and the material introduced into the rollers 38. This action is accomplished by simply severing the threads 19 and cutting or removing the threads 50 and 56 from the standards 83 after the ring has travelled downwards to a position where the fabric can be inserted between the rollers 38.

What I claim is:--

1. A knitting machine comprising a comb, comb members depending therefrom, fingers operating between said members, each of said fingers including jaws adapted to enter between said comb members and to enter between the jaws of each other, each finger alternately carrying the thread between said members in the form of a loop and remain there and enable the other finger to operate in conjunction therewith, means whereby said fingers are caused to travel towards the members of said comb means whereby they are retractable in the required sequence, and means for leading threads thereto to form the knitting.

2. In the machine claimed in claim 1, means whereby a locking thread is carried downwards so that during the formation of the knitting said locking thread is interlaced therewith.

3. In the machine as claimed in claim 1, feeding tubes mounted relatively to the fingers and movable in relation to said fingers whereby the knitting threads are introduced in sequence between the comb members and the fingers.

4. The machine claimed in claim '1, fingers comprising a body, jaws pivoted in the front end of said body, said body slidable in guides in the frame of the machine, said jaws adapted to be opened by the jaws of another finger entering therein, means whereby the said jaws will automatically close as the other finger is withdrawn, and means to reciprocate the fingers within their guides in their proper sequence.

5. In the machine claimed in claim 1, a frame, opposing rows of fingers, cams movable in relation to said fingers and engaging said fingers and shaped whereby each finger of each row will in turn be operated to its forward or retracted position.

6. In the machine claimed in claim 1, two annular frame members; one within the other and leaving an annular slot separating said two members, the fingers being arranged in each frame member in an angular position over the slot, cams rotatable'on said frame members, cam rings on which said cams are formed, means for rotating said cam rings, spools carried by said cam rings, feeding tubes for the thread from said spools carried by said cam rings in order to feed the thread at the required positions between the fingers and the comb members.

7. In the machine claimed in claim 1, two annular frame members, one within the other and leaving an annular slot separating said two members, the fingers being arranged in eachirame member in an angular position over the slot, cams rotatable on said frame members, cam rings on which said cams are formed, means for rotating said cam rings, spools carried by said cam rings, feeding tubes for the thread from said spools carried by said cam rings in order to feed the thread at the required positions between the fingers and the comb members, said cam rings having teeth around their periphery, a toothed wheel engaging said periphery and driven from gearing" above the machine.

8. In the machine claimed in claim 1, two annular frame members, one within the other and leaving an annular slot separating said two members, the fingers being arranged in each frame member in an angular position over the slot, cams rotatable on said frame members, cam rings on which said cams are formed, means for rotating said cam rings, spools carried by said cam rings, feeding tubes for the thread from said spools carried by said cam rings in order to feed the thread at the required positions between the fingers and the comb members, said cam rings having teeth around their periphery, a toothed wheel engaging said periphery and driven from gearing above the machine, a toothed wheel engaging the teeth on the periphery of one of the cam rings, and diametrically placed delivery rollers driven by means of gearing from said toothed wheel.

9. In the machine claimed in claim 1, the comb consisting of a ring, downwardly depending members on said ring, each member having an opening therethrough whereby a locking thread from a spool on the frame may pass downward through such orifice and opposite the jaws of the fingers.

I 10. In a knitting machine, a, comb, comb members depending therefrom, a row of loop forming fingers on each side of said members, each finger 7 5 of each of said rows working between the spaces and co-acting with the opposing finger of the other row, means to feed threads on each side of said members, and means to actuate said fingers in sequence to engage the threads on each side of said members, and interloop the thread upon one side of said members with the thread upon the other side.

comb members depending therefrom to support the knitting threads, 0. row of loop forming fingers on each side of said comb, each finger of each of said rows working between the comb members and co-acting with the opposing finger of the other row, means to feed the knitting threads horizontally against the sides of the comb members of each side thereof, and means to actuate the fingers in sequence to engage the knitting threads and interloop them with each other.

13. In the machine claimed in claim 10, two members formed on. said fingers, said members normally closed and adapted to engage the thread, but to be opened by the members of an opposing finger.

HENRY GEORGE BEDELL. 

